Well-pipe elevator



2 Sheets-Sheet l llll C720 ies Sept. 8, 1925'.

C. E. WILCOX WELL PIPE ELEVATOR Original Filed Jan. 29, 1921 Sept. 8,1925. 1,552,527

C. E. WILCOX WELL PIPE ELEVATOR Original Filed Jan. 29, 1921 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ?atented Sept. 8, 1225.

UNITED STATES eraserv basics.

as E. wILcox, or anannnr, camronm, ASSIGNOB r ammo 0. WILSON.

WELL-PIPE mnva'ron.

Original application tiled January 29, 1821, Serial No. 440,988. Dividedand this application filed Kay 28, 1928. Serial 3'0. 648,149.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I. (humus E. \Vrnoox, acitizen of the United States, anda resident of Anaheim, in the countyof. Orange a and State of California, have invented new and usefulImprovements in VVell-Pipe Elevators, of which the following is a full,clear, and exact disclosure.

This invention relates to well pipe elevators; and this ap lication isdivisional of an ap lication file by me on January 29th, 1921, erial No.440,933, also entitled \Vell ipe elevator. In said prior application Ihave described a well pipe elevator wherein the suspension bails orlinks are so associated with the pipe encircling body ofthe elevator asto cause the effectual lifting contact of the links with the body to beositioned comrtively closely under the oad su ported g; the elevator;and also so as to al ow the links, although normally insured againstaccidental disengagement from the elevator body, to be easily removablefrom the body when so desired. This present application is 2 filed forthe purpose 0 covering the second mentioned feature of the device shownin my said prior application, and the claims herein are directed to thatfeature while the I claims in said prior application will be directed tothe first mentioned feature. Any

claims to a combination embodyin both features will also be included insai prior application.

It is a general object of the invention set out in thispresentapplication to provide an elevator of sim 1e and strongconstruction and in which t e supporting bails or links ma be easilyremoved from the elevator y, but are at the same time revented 4.0 frombecoming accidentally detac ed when theelevator is m use. I amaware thatheretofore, for instance, in the patents of E. C. Wilson #1,314,996,well elevator, dated September 2,1919 and #1,341,957, .hoist,

dated June 1st, 1920, devices have been made known for making the surting bail or link of an elevator remova lla from the pipe encirclingstructure or body. In comparison with such devices it is an object of myinvention to provide a simple arrangement, and particularly one thatdoes not need the mani ulation of a. bolt or screw or the removal 0 anyparts in order to attach or detach the bail.

circular casing encircling body or structure 10 that is preferably made11 in two semicircular halvesv l1 and 12 hinged together at one side at13 and adapted to be releasably held together at their opposite sides bya latch device 14, the details of which it is unnecessar here todescribe as I make no claim to tie latch in itself, it being the subjectmatter of U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,498,141, issued on June 17, 1924 toE. C.

Wilson entitled \V ell elevator. Any sortof latch or lock may be used;in fact, so far as this application is concerned, the details ofstructure and design of the casing encircling body in themselves are ofno conse quence.

Each semi-circular half 11 and 12 has a laterally projecting lug 20 inthe lower part of which there is a notch that has a comparativelyrestricted opening 21: that is, this notch has an inner part 22 that issome what greater. in diameter or lateral dimension than the width ofthe opening 21.

The actual efi'ective width of opening 21 is also preferably less thanthe diameter of the round bar from which the bails 23 are formed, sothat the bails can only be passed through openings 21 by bringing theirreduced parts, at the flats 24, into registration with openings 21. Theinner of each notch is preferably of enou lar er diameter than the bailsto allow t e bai to play freely in 22, as will be apparent from thedrawings. The lower. ends of the bails are curved in the a t seen in Fi4, and the walls of notches 22 are also curv as indicated at 22' inFigs. 3 and 4. The notches, as seen in the drawings, extend inwardly andupwardly into lugs 20 and into the body roper; 50 that it is also neryart 22 to move the bails down in order to disconnect them from the body.These notches also preferably extend inwardly to such a degree that theycome close to or extend clear into the .inner ipe receiving opening 30of the elevator, and the bails are curved inwardly at their lower ends,in the aspect shown in Fig. 2, so as to reach into the inner parts ofthe notches and so that their lower ends, where they engage the elevatorbody, are positioned as closely as possible under the load that iscarried by the elevator. This last mentioned positioning of the notchesand corresponding shape of the bails is, however, not claimed herein asit is the subject matter of my said co-pending application.

Bails 23 may be formed in any suitable manner, they are usually formedas shown in the drawings with relatively long and 'substantiallvstraight side portions 31 in which the tiats 24 are formed to makereduced portions. It will be understood that these reduced portions maybe formed in any manner however, the flats are merely a convenient wa offorming a reduced portion in a bail'o circular cross section.

The notch openings 21 in addition to being narrower than notch parts 22,and, preferably, narrower than the bail itself, are also placed in adiagonal position, asmost clearly shown in Fig. 4. (The actual width ofopenings 21 does not directly show in the drawings due to the fact thatthe opening is diagonal in both the aspects of Figs. 2 and 4. But theactual width of the o ning is less than the diameter of a the ail andslightly greater than the dimension C be tween Hats 24.) As a result itwill be seen that the bails, in their normal or operating positions,cannot become disengaged from the body; because the o nings 21 arenarrower than the bail; an because the lower end part of the bail thatis then in, proximity to 0 ing 21 is curved, in the aspcctseen in Fig.4, while the notch opening is straight as seen in that aspect; andbecause the bail, where it passes through the notch, extends generallytransversely while notch opening 21 extends diagonally. Furthermore,when the elevator is suspended in normal operation particularly with theweight of the pipe on the body. the bails cannot move downwardlyrelative to the'body to get to a point opposite-the openings 21. Butwhen the elevator is not in operation, then each bail may be easilydisengaged from the body by turning it over in such a direction asindicated by thearrow in Fig. 4 until the long side part 31 comesparallel to opening 21. The

bail then occupies such a position as shown in dotted lines at A in Fig.2. Then the bail is slid longitudinally until the flat portions 24 areopposite opening 21, and then by turning the bail down in the directionshown by the arrow in' 2, so that the 'ing a reduced flats 24 are in pro1' position relative to openjn 21, the bai may be easily slipped throngthe opening. This described method of procedure need not be followedexactl as toseguence; but it will be readily seen that in or er toremove the bail it is necessary to turn it to a position at an angle toits normal 0 rative position and also to slide it longitudinally throughthe notch and also to turn it again about another axis of revolution andthen to move it outwardly and downwardly, in order to release it fromthe body. Thus it is apparent that the bail is extremely unlikelv toever become accidentally disengaged from the body. even whilev out ofuse or while being moved from place to place. In fact it is.almostimpossible for a bail so to become accidentally disengaged. There isonly one articular position in which the bail will isengage from thebody. That particular position is very unlikely to he accidentallyassumed by the bail; but at the same time it is very easy for a personpurposely to put the bail in that position. Even while the elevatorstands on a floorthe bails cannot disengage. It will be noticed that,with the elevator standing on a surface S (see Fig. 2) the bail can onlyfall from sit-ion A to position FB. In

position the flats 24 are not in line with opening 21; the lane of theflats. which in this case is also t eplane of the baiLc-annot be turneddown far enough to line up with the diagonal downward-and-outwarddirection of the opening, due to the fact that the op 'to side 23 of thebail rests on the floor be ore such position is reached.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim:

1. In a device of the character described,

a removable sup rting bail, and a body having a'notch with a transverseinner part adapted normally to carry the bail extending transverselythrough it and having a diagonal outer opening adapted to pass the bailonly when it is in line with said 'outer opening. 7

2. In a deviw of the character described, a continuous supporting link,a body-having a notch with a. transversely disposed inner part adaptedto carry the link and adiagonall disposed contracted outeropening,'an areduced part in the link adapted to be passed through the notch openingwhen the reduced part is in line with the notch opening, said reducedpart being the only part of the link passable through the notch opening.

7 3. Ina device of the character described. a body having a notch with arestricted opening, a removable bail adapted normally to be carried inthe notch, the bail being of larger size than the notch opening, andhavrtion at a point removed fmm part of the bail that normally engagesthe notch; and the notch opening being positioned diagonally withreference to the inner part of the notch.

4. In a device of the character described, a body having a notch with aninner portion and a restricted outer opening, said opening beingpositioned diagonally with refer ence to the inner part of the notch.and a bail adapted normally to be engaged in the notch and having areduced art, removed from the part normally engaging the notch, passablethrough the restricted opening.

5. In a device of the character described, a body having a bailreceiving notch with a relatively restricted opening; a supporting bailadapted to be carried in said notch, the part of the bail that normallyengages the notch being curved. another part of the bail beingsubstantially straight, an. the notch opening being also substantiullystraight to pass the corresponding part of the bail.

6. In a device ofthe character described, a body having a hail receivingnotch with a bail passing opening; a supporting bail adapted to becarried in said notch, the part of the bail that normally engages thenotch being curved, another part of the bail being substantiallystraight, the inner part of the notch being shaped to take the curvedpart of the bail, and the notch opening being also substantially straiht to pass the corresponding part of tie bail.

7. In a device of the character described, :1 body with a notch having abail assing opening, a supporting bail adapte to be carried in thenotch, the bail in its normal operative position being substantiallyup-v right and having a curved lower end where it normally engages thenotch, said lower end being curved in a substantially vertical plane,the inner part of the notch that normally receives the bail being shapedto pass the curved part of the bail, and the notch opening extending ina direction laterally from the inner part of the notch and the openingbeing substantially straight.

8. In a device of the character described,

' a body having a bail receiving notch the inner part of which extendssubstantially horizontally, the outer opening of said notch beingrestricted and positioned diagonally with reference to the extent of thenotch, and the direction of the opening from the inner part of the notchbeing diagonally downwardly and outwardly; a supporting bail normally ina substantially upright position and having a curved lower part normallye ging notch, said inner notch part being s aped to pass said'curvedbail part, said bail having a substantially straight portion in itsvertical reach, and the notch opening being correspondinglysubstantially straight and of a width to pass the corresponding part ofthe bail.

inner part of the notch able t rough. the restricted openin 9. In adevice of the character described, a body havin a bail receiving notchthe inner part of w ll(ll extends substantially horizontally, the outeropening of said notch being restricted and positioned diagonally withreference to the extent of the notch, and the diiection of the openingfrom the downwardl) and outwardly; a supporting bail normally in asubstantially upright position and having a curved lower part normallyengaging the inner part of the notch, said inner notch part bein shapedto pass said curved bail part. said ail having a substantially straightand'reduoed portion in its vertical reach, and the notch opening beingcorrespondingly substantially straight and of a width to pass thecorrespondingly reduced part of the bail.

10, In a device of the character described, a body having a bailreceiving notch with a restricted outer opening, said opening extendingdiagonally outwardly and downwardly from the inner part of the notch, abail having a lower curved end part normally engaged in the inner partof the notch and having substantially'st-raight upward reaches, one ofsaid reaches being flattened to reduce its thickness sufliciently to assthrough the restricted notch, and the p ane of said flattening beingsubstantially the plane of the bail.

11. In a device of the, character described, a body having a notch witha. restricted outer opening, a removable bail adapted to be carried inthe-inner portion of the notch, and a reduced part in the bail passable,through the restricted outer portion of the notch, said reduced partbeing the only part of the bail passable through the outer portion ofthe notch.

12. In a device of the character described, a body-having a notch with arestricted outer opening. a removable bail adapted to be carried in theinner portion of the notch, and a reduced part in the bail spaced fromthe part normally engaged in the notch and passable through the outerportion of the notch.

13. In a device of the character described, a body having a notch with arestricted opening, a removable bail ada ted to be carrled in saidnotch, the part 0 the bail nor mally engaging the notch being notpassable through the restricted opening, and the bail havin anotherremoved part which is pass- 14. In a deviceof the character escribed, abody having a bail receiving notch with a restricted bail passingopening, a supporting bail carried in sand 0 ning, said bail being forthe most part 0 larger size than can ass through said opening, but.having a re ueed part assable through said 0 ning, and the re uced partbeing locate on.

icing diagonally the bail in such reference to the position of carriedin the notch, the bail having a part the notch opening that the reducedpart will of reduced thickness assable through the 10 be out of registerwith said opening when notch only when the ail is out of normal the bodyand the bails are resting on 11 operating position.

I surface. In witness that I claim the foregoing 15. In a device of thecharacter described, have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd a bodyhaving a bail receiving notch with day of March 1923. a restricted outeropening, a removable bail I CHARLES E. WILCOX.

